


i will hold your heart more tenderly than my own

by captaintiny



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Happy Ending, dad!alistair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:54:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23359615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captaintiny/pseuds/captaintiny
Summary: from kiss prompt.thirty six: starting with nose-rub kisses before moving on to soft kisses.requested by @queen-of-troy“I look at you and see all the ways a soul can bruise, and I wish I could sink my hands into your flesh and light lanterns along your spine so you know that there’s nothing but light when I see you.” – Shinji Moon
Relationships: Alistair/Female Warden (Dragon Age), Female Aeducan/Alistair (Dragon Age)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	i will hold your heart more tenderly than my own

Janna Aeducan was born of the stone. Her childhood was flint, and iron, and steel. She was sharp, and lethal, like the sword she wielded, and she was taught quickly that softness was a luxury she could not afford.

She was forged in fire. Even now, more than a decade later, she can feel the pain of her brother’s betrayal, like the phantom itch of an amputated limb. Nightmares of her exile in the deep roads still followed her; the tunnels in which she had once felt so safe, now felt like a cage that she could not escape.

Her home, her name, her family, her entire life had been taken from her. She had followed her love to Denerim, the one thing she had clung to was that he would be waiting, and he had taken her heart, which had so long nested in his ribcage, and thrown it back at her feet.

She had built herself from nothing, learnt how to be a stranger in a strange land. She had come face to face with the very worst humanity had to offer, and she had stared it down in fury and it had cowered in fear.

And yet, Alistair had decided to love her. He had seen her, with all that rage and hurt, and it had not mattered. He had held her in his arms despite her shattered edges, and he hadn’t cut himself. He did not bleed when he kissed her. The world had not ended. And in all of his own pain, and suffering, he had reminded her of the power of being kind. He reminds her of that every day. She is surprised no one else can see the flowers that have grown from the seeds he planted in her heart. 

Now, 17 years later, she leans against the doorway, tears pricking in her eyes, as she watches him put their twins - Miriam and Noah - to bed.

There’s silver starting to appear in his hair, and his face is wiser, but he still has the same boyish smile, the same twinkle in his eyes. 

Miriam starts grumbling, and before she can start to cry, Alistair has picked her back up and holds her close to his chest, swaying gently and singing gently in Elvish, a Dalish lullaby that he learned from his time at Skyhold. Janna’s heart feels as though it might burst with happiness. 

Miriam yawns, her tiny fist coming to rest against Alistair’s shoulder. 

“I’m so lucky your mama found you,” he murmurs, stroking the wisps of her hair, and resting her back in her crib with the reverence a priest would treat the sacred ashes. “The day she brought you and your brothers and sisters home was the happiest day of my life. I love you so much. Sleep well, da'len.”

Janna turns away before he notices her. She hadn’t meant to intrude, and a few moments later, Alistair comes out of the bedroom. 

“Settled?” She asks.

Alistair nods, a soft, gentle smile on his face. Janna smiles back. The thought that she would have been able to resist it, that she wouldn’t have fallen for him all those years ago, is laughable. Not when after all this time, her heart still hammers a bruise on her ribcage every time he looks at her. 

He crosses to the table, sitting in a chair and opening his arms as an invitation. Janna stands between his legs and he brings her in close, sighing contentedly into her hair. 

“I love you.” He says, pulling back just enough to press their foreheads together.

“And I love you, my darling.”

He nuzzles at her nose, still smiling, humming happily and running his hands up the small of her back. She kisses him then, soft and sweet, gentle and slow. She savours moments like this, all too rare in the early days of their time together. Now they have each other, and all the time in the world. She hadn’t thought it was possible to love someone this much, and yet she falls for him more every day. No darkspawn, no wardens, no duty. Just each other, and the rest of their lives.

“Mama! Mama! Rona says that you said she could have extra dessert!”

Oh. Right. Just each other, and four adopted half-elves. 

Janna pulls away from Alistair and both of them giggle, as he stands and tends to the other two of their children, endlessly patient and attentive. 

Janna Aeducan had been born of the stone, and forged in fire, but she had found something that meant more than both of those put together. She had the love of a good man.


End file.
